CAIRO, December 6, 2025 (WAFA) – The media adviser for the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA), Adnan Abu Hasna, on Saturday urged that the strong international support and political backing for the agency be translated into real support on the ground through operational assistance and adequate funding.
Abu Hasna told WAFA that the agency’s renewed mandate comes at a time when the Palestinian people are facing aggression and siege, describing the renewal of UNRWA’s mandate as a clear message of support to millions of Palestinian refugees. With 151 countries voting in favor, he said the decision reflects global commitment to Palestinian rights and rejection of efforts to undermine their just cause, adding that such support provides “important moral momentum” for UNRWA’s work.
He explained that UNRWA’s budget relies on 95% voluntary donations, and that no law obliges countries to contribute. The agency is facing a financial shortfall of about $200 million needed to sustain its services and pay salaries through March. He noted ongoing efforts by officials to secure funding and diversify income sources, expressing hope for progress in the coming days or weeks. All countries have restored their contributions, he added, except the United States, which cut $360 million.
Abu Hasna said the scope of UNRWA’s work continues to grow as the number of refugees increases and crises expand, particularly in devastated areas such as Gaza and Syria. This has resulted in higher costs and heavier burdens on the agency, which remains a lifeline for refugees and the only organization operating fully inside Gaza despite massive challenges and deliberate Israeli obstacles.
He noted that UNRWA has managed to restore some services in Gaza despite widespread destruction and severe movement restrictions. Classes have resumed for 300,000 students in destroyed UNRWA schools, with 50,000 attending in person and the rest learning remotely. Several medical clinics have reopened, providing services to around 15,000 patients, and water distribution continues in displacement areas.
Regarding food aid, Abu Hasna said Israel continues to block and obstruct access, preventing the entry of 6,000 trucks carrying food, tents, and blankets—enough to support Gaza’s population for three months—despite nearly two months passing since the ceasefire agreement.
Plastic sheeting sufficient for more than one million people is also being blocked. Their entry, he stressed, would make a significant difference on the ground, especially with cold weather and rainfall, as many displaced families are living in worn-out tents or makeshift plastic shelters near their destroyed homes.
He added that while a few organizations have managed to bring in truckloads of aid, they immediately hand them over to UNRWA because they lack distribution capacity. UNRWA has 12,000 staff members, logistics capabilities, and trucks that can deliver large quantities anywhere in the Strip.
He emphasized that Israel is fully aware of UNRWA’s ability to organize and distribute aid efficiently. The priority at this stage, he stressed, is not reconstruction but urgent shelter, basic necessities, and the entry of hundreds of trucks daily carrying all essential food and non-food items needed to save lives.
Abu Hasna stressed that UNRWA is facing direct attacks not only in Gaza but also in the West Bank and Jerusalem. The agency continues to operate across the West Bank, where it runs more than 100 schools and several clinics, except in northern camps recently affected by destruction and the displacement of nearly 32,000 Palestinians.
He added that Israel continues to place obstacles on UNRWA’s operations in Jerusalem, where six UNRWA schools were previously closed, in addition to ongoing threats to cut water and electricity supplies to its facilities.
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